The Anambra State Government has extended the ban on commercal motorcycle operators popularly called okada to Nnew and Ekwuloba due to the ncreasng wave of crme and accdents.
The Commssoner for Informaton, Paul Nwosu, who dsclosed ths n a statement on Tuesday, sad the resoluton was reached at the state executve councl meetng.
Recall that the state government had already banned commercal motorcyclsts n the state captal, Awka and Ontsha.
The statement read n part, “It has come to the notce of government that commercal motorcycle rders, popularly known as ‘Okada’ have gradually found ther ways back on our roads n Awka, Ontsha, Nnew and Ekwuloba.
“Ther recklessness owng to lack of rdng tranng and gnorance of traffc sgns are begnnng to produce hgh rate of avodable accdents on our roads.
“Added to ths s the fact that ‘Okada’ has been fngered several tmes by law enforcement agents as beng the major conveyor belt through whch crmnals ply ther nefarous busnesses.
“In the lght of these ugly trends, government hereby restates and reterates that the ban on commercal motorcycles n our major ctes such as Awka, Ontsha, Nnew and Ekwuloba s stll n force. Anyone caught volatng them wll be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“For an area lke Nnew where prvate motorcycles are means of commutng to places of work and busness, the rder must wear a crash helmet to protect the head n case of accdent.
“Companes nvolved n courer servces, dspatch servces and home delveres must regster wth the Mnstry of Transport and have ther rders properly ktted up.
“The motorcycle operators may ply the sub urban and rural areas where motor transport s scarce, but plan s underway to have them enumerated and branded n order to determne the genune commercal motorcyclsts and be able to track any operator who s nvolved n breachng the law.”
